Idaho lawmakers divvy up coveted committee seats

Updated 8:22 pm, Thursday, December 1, 2016

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho lawmakers gathered in Boise Thursday to determine who will sit in the most coveted spots in the Statehouse.

Committee chairmen wield tremendous influence in setting the tone of legislative sessions because they control the fate of most legislative proposals that come across their desk. The 24 committee positions, as well as member assignments, are determined every two years.

"With a regular Rubik's cube, it has nine sides," said House Speaker Scott Bedke. "This one has a lot more. Just when you have one side looking like you like it, then you turn it, over and something else has changed."

The organizational session lasted just one day, with legislative leaders meeting with lawmakers and strategizing where to place all 105 members.

Sen. Jeff Siddoway, a Republican from Terreton, will take over Senate State Affairs Committee — one of the most high-profile committees because it votes on the most contentious bills, like abortion restriction or gun access proposals.

Yet the move meant Siddoway will give up his four-year tenure as chairman of the equally influential Senate Local Government and Taxation Committee. Siddoway had become known as a gatekeeper to any tax cut proposals in the Republican-dominated Statehouse. He often vowed never to consider tax cut legislation if it meant reducing education spending — much to the chagrin of Republican lawmakers and business lobbyists.

With Siddoway gone, the post will now go to Sen. Dan Johnson, a Republican from Lewiston.

Republicans control nearly 84 percent of the Idaho Legislature after picking up four seats on Nov. 8. Democratic lawmakers make up just 17 members inside the Statehouse, meaning Democrats had to give up seats on a variety of committees. For the House, the biggest hit was on the State Affairs panel after their numbers dwindled from four to two.

Over in the Senate, the six Democrats agreed to give up seats on Agriculture, Transportation and Health and Welfare committees in order to keep the coveted two positions on the state's influential budget-setting committee.

Legislators voted on Republican and Democratic leadership positions Wednesday behind closed doors. Unlike the mix-up on committee assignments, GOP leadership spots will remain the same for the next two years. GOP lawmakers voted to retain Bedke and President Pro Tem Brent Hill. The only new faces will be in the Democrat caucus. This includes Rep. Mat Erpelding as the new House minority leader, and Rep. Ilana Rubel as House assistant minority leader.